Standing Into Danger: Walking Among Giants!

Thursday, February 22, 2024

Walking Among Giants!

Last year I read Peter Wohellben's wonderful book "The Hidden Life of Trees:

What They Feel, How They Communicate―Discoveries from a Secret World."

As I explored the Foster Botanical Garden in Honolulu with Terry the other day,

I couldn't help thinking about what its trees have experienced and perhaps communicated.

And I even crossed off a bucket list item, touching a giant kapok tree!

Touching a Giant, a Kapok Tree

Foster Botanical Garden

Honolulu, Oʻahu⁩, ⁨ ⁨Hawaiʻi⁩, ⁨United States⁩

February 15, 2024

For many years in my teaching career I shared Lynne Cherry's

excellent book about the kapok tree and forest conservation.

Sadly in the thirty-four years since it was published,

we have only worsened the plight of of our natural world. Amazon

How I would have loved to share my pictures of the giant Kapok tree

in Foster Botanical Garden with my students.

It was magical! It's hard to imagine the scale of this giant,

which can reach 240 feet/73 meters in height and 19 feet/5.8 meters in diameter.

This giant kapok, Cieba pentandra, has been designated an exceptional tree

and is protected by a city ordinance.

It was planted in 1850 by Dr. William Hillebrand, a physician and botanist,

who had a cottage in the middle terrace of the current gardens.

The kapok is native to tropical America and Africa.

Its wide buttresses support the tree in shallow soils

like the flying buttresses of Gothic cathedrals.

In its native jungles, the kapok is home to many diverse species,

including frogs, birds and bromeliads.

It's a deciduous tree that sprouts pink and white flowers

that attract bats which aid in pollination.

The kapok produces abundant seeds that are among

the first to colonize open areas in the forest.

The kapok is useful for humans too.

Its lightweight, porous wood is suitable for carving and making dugout canoes.

The seeds' silky fibers have been used in life preservers and bedding,

and the seeds' oil in soap.

Medicines have been created from other parts of this magnificent giant.

The Foster Botanical Garden site has an interesting history.

It was gifted to Queen Kalama, the wife of King Kamehameha III,

during the Great Mahele of 1848 when the Hawaiian Islands

were redistributed among the government, Hawaiian royalty, nobles, and commoners.

Queen Kalama leased some of the land to Dr. William Hillebrand

who imported many plants and animals to the islands,

including the ubiquitous mynah birds.

He, in turn, sold the land to "Captain" Thomas R. Foster,

a master shipbuilder from my native Nova Scotia.

His wife Mary gifted the land to the city and county of Honolulu,

stipulating that it be preserved as Foster Garden.

As a result people today can wander among the beauty and peace of this special place.

Near the Entrance to Foster Botanical Garden

Beautiful Orchids in the Conservatory

There are many storied trees and plants in this oasis near Chinatown.

I'm sharing some photos of some of them:

1. Bo or Bodhi Tree:

Terry stands in front of the Garden's Bo Tree (Ficus religiosa)

Buddha attained enlightenment under a revered Bodhi tree

at the Mahabodhi Temple in Sri Lanka. That tree dates to 288 BC.

A Buddist monk gave Mary Foster a clipping from that famous tree in 1913,

and it has grown into a giant here.

Mary developed a passionate belief in Buddhism and became the first Hawaiian Buddhist.

Replica of the Great Buddha of Kamakura

In 1968 the governor of Kanagawa Prefecture in Japan gave this statue to the City of Honolulu

to commemorate the centennial of the first Japanese immigrants arriving Hawai'i

2. Quipo Tree:

Quipo Tree (Cavanillesia platanifolia)

This was the first tree I spotted, and I literally ran to it!

Planted in 1930, it is one of some twenty trees designated exceptional in the garden,

and it is protected by a city ordinance. It is breathtaking!

It is a flowering plant related to the giant hibiscus,

and it can grow to 197 feet/60 meters in height.

Its bark has characteristic rings,

and it produces leaves near the top of the tree for only one month a year.

3. Cycad:

Cycad: Encephalartos gratis

Female Encephalartos gratis with Cones

Cycads are a very old order of tree dating back to about 280 million years ago in the Permian. They evolved long before flowering plants. Many are extinct in the wild. These two are found in Foster's Prehistoric Glen. They grow in Malawi and Mozambique.

I had fun walking among the Cycads and imagining a vanished world.

4. Cannonball Tree:

Two Cannonball Trees (Couroupita guianensis)

The cannonball tree on the left is the biggest in the USA. It was planted in 1931.

Cannonball (Couroupita guianesis)

This tree is hard to see as a whole. Its orange flowers blossom on stems

growing from the trunk. It sports heavy round fruit

which could definitely give you a headache if one fell on you.

And everything is shrouded by thickets of its stems.

It is another of the protected trees designated as exceptional.

5. Loulu Palm:

Loulu Palm (Pritchardia Schattaueri)

A tree just for me!

I shouldn't make light of it, because this species of Loulu palm is critically endangered with only a dozen specimens left in the wild in 2001. Endemic to the southwestern forests of the Island of Hawai'i, it is primarily found in botanical gardens. Habitat loss along with rats, weeds, and hoofed animals were and are threatening the survival of the species. The Nature Conservancy is working with other conservation organizations

to nurture seedlings at its Kona Hema Preserve.

"Beautiful Butterflies" by Bronzemen 2009

So many gorgeous trees and plants ~ It's hard to pick just a few.

I loved the Foster Botanical Garden, and I will return to it!

I'm linking to Rain's Thursday Art and Dinner Date Nicole's Friday Face Off

and Tom's Aloha Friday.

For Rain's TADD: Ladders:

Ladders at Battery Randolph with One of its 14-inch Canons (a model)

US Army Museum of Hawaii

Waikiki, Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawai'i

February 14, 2024

For Tom's Aloha Friday: Surfing's Done!

Surfing's Done

Marina Beach

Waikiki, Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawai'i

February 17, 2024

For Nicoles's Friday Face Off: Funny Face

Terry Spotted This Funny Face!

Marina Beach

Waikiki, Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawai'i

February 17, 2024

Have a great weekend! 🌺 Aloha!!! 🌺

Till next time ~
Fundy Blue

My next post will be soon! 🤞

33 comments:

roentareFebruary 22, 2024 at 11:43 PM
These trees are looking so magnificent! So is the buddha statue
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TomFebruary 23, 2024 at 4:00 AM
...Louise, thank for these gorgeous Hawaiian image on this gloomy winter morning. I was in the nursery business for 50 years and LOVE trees, in Hawaii there are so many to love. On Mauia there is a Bronzemen statute too.I love the googly eyes on the leaf. Great find, Terry. Enjoy your stay in the sunshine.
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Debra She Who SeeksFebruary 23, 2024 at 5:35 AM
What a beautiful and fascinating spot to visit! I like the lovely water feature at the entrance as well.
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JeanieFebruary 23, 2024 at 6:31 AM
This is a fascinating post, Louise. Gorgeous photos and really interesting information -- things I never knew! Thanks for this one and happy weekend!
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Alex J. CavanaughFebruary 23, 2024 at 6:43 AM
Ironic so many of the trees in that garden aren't even native to Hawaii.
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DVArtistFebruary 23, 2024 at 10:23 AM
Thank you for such a beautiful post and for sharing with FFO. That tree is just amazing. Have a very nice weekend.
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Pat HattFebruary 23, 2024 at 11:04 AM
Funny how two separate sides of the continent, well close as ones an island and all that lol, can have a connection.

The cones look like giant ears of corn on that one. Cannonball one sure could give you a nice migraine haha

Quite the array indeed. Those big ones sure are stunning pieces of nature too.
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ChristineFebruary 23, 2024 at 4:31 PM
Lovely trees! -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
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sirkkisFebruary 23, 2024 at 11:22 PM
What a marvelous photos of the Kapok Tree! I haven't ever thought it could grow that big.
Louise, hank you for your wonderful, informative post.
Happy weekend xx
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bailiFebruary 24, 2024 at 1:56 AM
i really enjoyed the virtual trip of botanical garden dear Louise!
i was surprised to see the Kapok tree ,more than 200 feet high and 19 feet dimeter sounds exceptional indeed . his way of standing on ground becomes intriguing because of it's on ground design :) so amazing wow !
here Kapok tree is called Sumbal tree and is found in northern areas .
the tree with huge ball like fruits is unfamiliar to me .a tree who covers itself with it's thickets interesting .there is so much unseen and unexplored in this world .heartfelt thanks for sharing this because i love learning about trees. i would love to read book that you mentioned .hope i will find it soon .
Cycads evolved from shrubs and still they have engaging appearance :)
the palm tree you stood with is totally different palm we have here ,hope authorities can save the lovely tree and hope some scientific addition can make it higher to protect from animals .
loved bodhi tree .i would love to learn more about Buddha and bodhi both .
the dripping water from surfing skateboard looks awesome .
Terry turned the huge leaves into happy face :)
loved the sculpture and awesome details of her dress and hair wow !
sending hugs and blessings to you dear friend!
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https://linsartyblobs.blogspot.comFebruary 24, 2024 at 10:50 AM
Lovely photos. I've not seen a kapok tree before, how unusual - very straight with a skirt on the bottom.
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Bleubeard and ElizabethFebruary 24, 2024 at 11:11 AM
I would have been by sooner, but my AT&T ISP was out much of yesterday. I am also sorry I was too sick to visit you last week. I hope that won't happen in the future.

I enjoyed your visit to the Foster Botanical Gardens. If there is a palm tree, I am excited, regardless the botanical name!! They don't grow here, but I still love them.

I have never heard of a kapok tree before. Their roots are so unusual. I am amazed at how tall the one was you were photographed against.I was delighted to learn about them. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

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carol l mckennaFebruary 24, 2024 at 12:50 PM
Hawaii has some fascinating trees and your photos have captured them well ~ wonderful post and photos ~ favorites are the trees ~ hugs,

Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)

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CloudiaFebruary 24, 2024 at 6:25 PM
Wow one of my favorite places! I love the Kapok trees. There is another at Keeaumoku and Young! The cannonball tree is weird and wonderful isn't it. Great post. Mahalos
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KokopelliFebruary 27, 2024 at 5:41 AM
HAHAHA! The funny face! Love it! And what beautiful trees. Thanks for sharing all the photos.
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AdamFebruary 27, 2024 at 4:13 PM
It is amazing how long trees can grow. There's a beautiful tree in the main Park in Greenville South Carolina that's absolutely gorgeous and massive too
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Gillena CoxMarch 2, 2024 at 5:45 AM
Aloha
Thanks for sharing
My Thursday post is HERE
Much♡love
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